On a large fire or a major commercial loss, the first estimate sets the whole claim. We write it right the first time: complete, line by line, every single item documented from day one — so the claim reflects the full loss and nothing is left out. GB Claims LLC is a New York licensed public adjuster (License PA-1988333) based in Rockland County. We represent building owners, landlords, businesses and homeowners — never the insurance company — on fire, smoke, explosion, water and storm losses across Rockland and Orange County, the Hudson Valley and the rest of New York.
Had a fire or a major loss? Call 845-456-6699 now, or text 845-422-4444. Already have the insurance company’s estimate or a denial letter? Send it in for a free second opinion — we tell you within 24 hours what may be missing.
Why GB Claims: the first estimate, written right
A large loss is not underpaid in one big place. It is underpaid in hundreds of small ones: a room of smoke-damaged insulation that nobody opened a wall to find, the code upgrade the rebuild will require, the contents that never made it onto a list, the weeks of lost rent that were never calculated. Once a short first estimate is on file, every one of those items has to be argued back in. That is why we do the opposite:
- We are there from day one. Before the carrier’s adjuster writes a word, we have inspected the building, photographed every room and started the inventory.
- Every item, documented. Structure, finishes, mechanicals, contents, code upgrades, debris removal, business income, lost rent, additional living expenses — each one measured, priced and supported with photos and documents.
- Line by line, in the carrier’s own language. We write a full line-item estimate in the same software the insurance companies use, so there is nothing for the carrier to translate and nothing to guess at.
- Nothing left out. A complete estimate is the claim; the carrier’s job becomes responding to it, not writing it for you.
Who this page is for
- Commercial buildings: retail, offices, warehouses, restaurants, mixed-use and industrial property.
- Apartment and multi-family buildings: fires that affect several units, common areas, displaced tenants and lost rent.
- Major house fires: a home that is uninhabitable, a family in temporary housing, structure and contents both damaged.
- Smoke and soot damage: smoke that travelled through ducts, attics and closed rooms far from the fire.
- Business interruption: lost income and extra expense while the business cannot operate.
- Other large losses: major water, burst-pipe, storm, roof collapse, explosion and impact damage — losses of $100,000 and up.
What a public adjuster does on a large loss
A public adjuster is licensed by the New York State Department of Financial Services to represent policyholders — you — in the preparation, presentation and negotiation of an insurance claim. On a large loss, that means:
- Read the policy. Building, contents, business income, extra expense, loss of rents, ordinance or law, debris removal, additional living expenses — and the limits, deductibles and exclusions that apply to each.
- Document everything. Full inspection of the building, photographs, moisture and soot testing where needed, and a room-by-room inventory of the contents.
- Write the estimate. A detailed line-item repair estimate in the same software the carriers use, including code upgrades, matching, and the smoke and water damage that a quick carrier scope leaves out.
- Build the financial claim. Business interruption, extra expense and lost rent, supported by your books and leases.
- Meet the carrier. We attend every inspection with the insurance company’s adjusters, engineers and consultants, so nothing is written about your loss without us in the room.
- Negotiate the settlement. We answer the carrier’s questions, support every line item, track payments and recoverable depreciation, and keep the claim moving until it is paid.
Why building owners hire a public adjuster for a fire
- The carrier’s adjuster works for the carrier. On a large loss the insurance company brings in experienced adjusters, engineers and consultants. A public adjuster is the only licensed professional whose job is to represent you.
- The burden of proof is yours. Your policy pays what you can document. We take that burden off you: the inventory, the estimate, the paperwork, the follow-up.
- Large claims get missed in predictable places. Smoke migration, cleaning instead of replacing, code upgrades, matching, depreciation, contents left off the list, and business income cut short. We know where to look, and we look on day one.
- You keep your time. An owner recovering from a fire has a building, tenants or a business to run. We run the claim.
- No kickbacks. We take nothing from contractors, mitigation companies or anyone else on the claim. You are the only person we work for.
What it costs
Public adjuster fees in New York are capped by state law at 12.5% of the amount the insurance company pays on the claim, and the fee is always in a written contract before any work begins. There is no upfront fee on GB Claims public adjusting claims — we are paid from the settlement. If you already have an estimate or an offer and want to know whether hiring us makes sense, send it in for a free second opinion first.
Where we work
GB Claims LLC is based in Rockland County, New York. For large losses we travel anywhere in New York State, and we are also licensed in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Our home area:
- Rockland County: Monsey, Spring Valley, Suffern, New City, Nanuet, Airmont, Pomona and all of Rockland County.
- Orange County: Monroe, Kiryas Joel, Goshen, Middletown, Newburgh and all of Orange County.
- Westchester County, Brooklyn and the NYC area, and the rest of New York State for large losses.
Our license
GB Claims LLC holds New York Public Adjuster License PA-1988333, issued by the New York State Department of Financial Services under Section 2108 of the New York Insurance Law. Licensed sublicensee: Benzion Goldman.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a public adjuster for a fire claim?
Not for every fire. For a small, contained fire that the carrier is paying fairly, you may be fine on your own. For a large loss — a commercial building, an apartment building, a house with smoke through every room, or a family that has been displaced — the claim has dozens of moving parts (structure, contents, code upgrades, additional living expenses or lost rent, business interruption) and the insurance company’s adjuster works for the insurance company. A licensed public adjuster works only for you, documents the full loss and negotiates the settlement. You can hire one at any point, including after a first payment, as long as you are within your policy’s time limits.
How much does a public adjuster cost in New York?
In New York the public adjuster’s fee is capped by state law at 12.5% of the amount the insurance company pays on the claim, and it is always in a written contract before work begins. GB Claims charges no upfront fee on public adjusting claims; we are paid from the settlement.
What does a public adjuster do for a commercial fire?
We read the commercial policy (building, business personal property, business income and extra expense, ordinance or law), inspect and document the building and the contents, write a complete line-item repair estimate from day one, build the inventory with you, prepare the business interruption or loss-of-rents claim with your books, meet the carrier’s adjuster and engineers on site, and support every line item until the claim is paid. The owner keeps running the business while we run the claim.
Should I call a public adjuster before I report the fire to my insurance company?
If you can, yes. How a large claim is first reported and what is said in the first calls matters. We can report the claim for you, set up the inspection and handle every call with the carrier from day one. If the claim is already open, call us anyway — most of our large-loss work starts after the claim has been filed.
Will my insurance company’s estimate cover the whole fire loss?
Often it does not. Carrier estimates on fires commonly scope the rooms that burned and a quick cleaning for the rest, take depreciation too heavily, leave out code-upgrade work, and under-count smoke and soot in ducts, attics, insulation and wall cavities. If you already have an estimate, send it to us for a free second opinion.
Do you handle apartment buildings and multi-family fires?
Yes. Multi-family and apartment building fires are a large part of our work: multiple units, common areas, displaced tenants, loss of rents and code upgrades on the rebuild. We also handle condo and HOA claims.
Where in New York do you take large-loss claims?
We are based in Rockland County and cover Monsey, Spring Valley, Suffern, New City, Nanuet, Airmont, Pomona, Monroe, Kiryas Joel, Goshen, Middletown, Newburgh and the rest of Rockland and Orange County, plus Westchester and the NYC area. For large losses we travel anywhere in New York State, and we are also licensed in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
Talk to a licensed public adjuster about your loss
Call 845-456-6699 or text 845-422-4444. Tell us what happened and where the claim stands, and we will tell you honestly whether we can help. If you already have the insurance company’s estimate, a partial payment or a denial, upload it for a free second opinion.
Related: Fire & smoke damage public adjuster · Commercial property claims · What to do after a house fire · Denied and underpaid claims